It’s simple, says health educator Dr. Susan Maples – gum disease can lead to bad sex. “I bet men would floss more often if they knew it could prevent erectile dysfunction!”

Poor oral health can lead to more than a lifeless love life – open wide to possible horrible diseases and depression.

“In a healthy mouth, billions of bacteria live and play happily together in a large community. But in the right environment where oral hygiene isn’t up to par, bad bacteria can take over and produce infection and inflammation which can spread to other parts of the body,” says Maples, a dentist, speaker and author of Blabber Mouth! 77 Secrets Only Your Mouth Can Tell You to Live a Healthier, Happier, Sexier Life.

Many people do not brush adequately and don’t bother flossing, and they’re setting themselves up for tooth decay, gum disease and a host of other serious and deadly diseases. “What goes on inside your mouth has a direct impact to what goes on in the rest of your body,” says Maples. “And vice versa, systemic illnesses offer plenty of warning signs that show up in your mouth.”

The mouth is a diagnostic window to the rest of your body, revealing early signs of everything from heart disease and diabetes to mental health illnesses, pregnancy complications, cancer, osteoporosis, sexual dysfunction and more, reports Maples.

It’s an open and shut case: “Lifestyle-related diseases are on the rise. No one is coming to save you. The solution comes from each and every one of us taking responsibility. Most people don’t know the implications that tooth decay and periodontal disease can have on the rest of the body, including diabetes, sleep apnea and acid reflux.”

According to the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), oral pain, missing teeth or oral infections can reduce a person’s quality of life by affecting their physical, mental and social well-being. “80% of Canadians will be affected by gum disease at some point in their life,” reports the CDA, while “48% of Canadians who haven’t seen a dentist in the past year have gum disease.”

Be a smart mouth – practice good oral hygiene and go for regular checkups, not just when you have pain, plaque and advanced decay.

The CDA reveals that “every year approximately 3,200 Canadians are diagnosed with oral cancer and 1,050 deaths from oral cancer occur. This devastating disease has a low survival rate because it is often diagnosed very late.”

According to Maples, HPV infection from oral sex for men and women is the leading cause of oral cancer, and on the rise.

She adds that it’s not just oral cancers to worry about, but all forms of it from lung cancer to pancreatic cancer. “Evidence suggests more and more links everyday between oral disease and systemic cancer.”

Meanwhile, periodontal disease can cause inflammation in the artery walls, leading to organ damage, including increasing the risk of heart attack. “Traveling bacteria from gum disease can enter the bloodstream and form as plaque in the arteries. There’s even a link between tooth decay and heart attacks.” Consider an Interleukin-1 saliva test to help identify your risk for both coronary artery disease and periodontal disease.

Not only should you be paying attention to your cholesterol, but to your teeth and gums too in order to reduce your risk of stroke. “To avoid oral bacteria as a cause of stroke, aggressively treat any active gum disease.”

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